Erg Chigaga vs Erg Chebbi: An Honest Comparison

One is remote and wild, the other is easier to reach. Here's what each desert is really like.

Quick answer: Erg Chebbi, near Merzouga, is the dune field we run tours to, reached by a scenic multi day road trip from Marrakech via Ouarzazate and Dades Valley, with established desert camps and easy access for most travellers. Erg Chigaga, near M'Hamid further south, is a more remote dune field usually reached by a longer drive followed by a stretch of off road travel or a camel trek, and it attracts travellers looking for a quieter, more isolated Sahara experience. We do not currently run tours to Erg Chigaga, so this guide compares the two deserts for information rather than booking Chigaga directly; the tours below are our live Erg Chebbi and Merzouga desert trips.

Two deserts, two different journeys

Erg Chebbi sits near the town of Merzouga, at the end of the classic overland route from Marrakech that passes through Ouarzazate, Dades Valley and Todra Gorge, usually taking two to three days of driving with stops along the way. The road is sealed for almost the entire route, which makes Erg Chebbi accessible to a wide range of travellers, including families and those with limited time. Erg Chigaga lies further south, beyond the town of M'Hamid, and reaching it typically involves driving past Zagora and then continuing on unpaved tracks or arranging a 4x4 transfer or camel trek for the final stretch. This extra distance and rougher access is the main reason Erg Chigaga feels more remote, and it is also why trips there tend to take longer and cost more.

How the dunes compare

Erg Chebbi is known for some of the tallest dunes in Morocco, with certain ridges reaching around 150 metres, set in a dune field that is large enough to feel properly desert-like while still being compact enough to explore on a short camel trek or by quad bike. Erg Chigaga is Morocco's largest erg, stretching further across the landscape, and many visitors describe it as feeling wilder and quieter, with fewer camps and fewer other travellers in view at any one time. Both are genuine Saharan dune fields of orange sand, but the scale of Erg Chigaga and the effort required to reach it mean that visitor numbers there are considerably lower than at Erg Chebbi.

Crowds, camps and comfort

Because Erg Chebbi is easier to reach, it has a well developed network of desert camps, ranging from simple shared tents to more comfortable private and luxury camps with proper beds and en suite facilities. This also means more vehicles, more camel caravans and more fellow travellers during peak season, particularly around sunset and sunrise at the main dune access points. Erg Chigaga has camps too, but fewer of them, and the distance involved means that most trips there are built around one or two nights in a single remote camp rather than a short overnight stop, which changes the pace and feel of the whole trip.

Time and effort required

A trip to Erg Chebbi from Marrakech is typically a two to four day round trip, with the dunes reached on the second or third day depending on the itinerary, which makes it realistic for travellers with a shorter holiday. A trip to Erg Chigaga usually needs more time, often four days or more, since the extra distance past Zagora and the rougher final approach add significant driving or trekking time in both directions. Travellers choosing between the two deserts should weigh how much time they have against how important remoteness is to their trip, since Erg Chigaga's main appeal is largely a function of how much harder it is to reach.

Which desert suits which traveller

Erg Chebbi suits travellers who want a genuine Sahara experience, including tall dunes, a camel trek and a night in a desert camp, within a trip that fits a typical one or two week Morocco holiday. It also suits families, first time visitors to Morocco and anyone combining the desert with other classic stops such as Ait Ben Haddou, Dades Valley and the Atlas Mountains along the way. Erg Chigaga tends to appeal more to experienced desert travellers, photographers and those specifically seeking isolation and minimal crowds, who are willing to commit extra days and a longer, rougher journey to get there. Neither desert is better in an absolute sense, the right choice depends mainly on time available and appetite for a more demanding journey.

Our current tours

We currently run multi day tours from Marrakech to Erg Chebbi and Merzouga, including the classic route through Ouarzazate, Dades Valley and Todra Gorge, with a camel trek and a night in a desert camp among the dunes. We do not currently operate tours to Erg Chigaga, so if a remote Chigaga style trip is the priority, it is worth researching operators who specialise in that route specifically. This guide is intended to help travellers understand the difference between the two deserts so they can decide which experience matches their trip, rather than to suggest that both are available to book with us.

Getting the most from an Erg Chebbi trip

Travellers choosing Erg Chebbi can still get a strong sense of Sahara scale and quiet, particularly by booking an overnight camp stay rather than a day trip, and by choosing a departure time that allows for both sunset and sunrise over the dunes. Combining the desert with stops at Ait Ben Haddou, Dades Valley and the Valley of Roses on the way there adds historical and scenic variety to the trip without extending it dramatically. Our Marrakech to Merzouga three day tour route guide breaks down exactly how a typical itinerary fits together, from the first stop in Ouarzazate to the final night among the Erg Chebbi dunes.

Choosing an Erg Chebbi tour

Since we focus on Erg Chebbi and Merzouga rather than Erg Chigaga, the tours listed below are all genuine, bookable trips to the dunes we know well, ranging from shorter two day options to longer private departures that combine the desert with other highlights of the south. Check the day by day itinerary on each tour page for exact stops, camp style and duration, since these vary between departures.

Two Saharas, one honest comparison

Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga both deliver genuine Sahara dunes, but the experience of reaching each one is different enough that the choice often comes down to time and taste for remoteness rather than which desert looks better in a photograph. For most travellers on a standard Morocco itinerary, Erg Chebbi offers an accessible, well organised taste of the Sahara, while Erg Chigaga remains the deeper, harder won version of the same landscape.